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Logan Sargent “Skeet” LaChance
Bahama Venture Cruises Founder
Skeet was born in 1932 in Chicago, Il. As a young child,
he contracted polio, but with the fighting spirit he
would be known for throughout his life, successfully
fought it off. The only mark it left was a curvature of
his spine that didn’t become obvious until his later
years.
While growing up and attending elementary and high
school in Kenilworth, Il, he and a classmate, Steve
Mullins, developed an avid interest in magic shows, even
charging to perform at local kids’ parties.
After being sent away to a boarding school in Canada, he
gained the nickname “Scooter,” due to his speed while
excelling in track and field.
It was also at this time that Skeet became interested in
underwater exploration. His youthful efforts consisted
of borrowing his mother’s hot water bottle and going to
Lake Michigan to see how long he could stay under the
water and see something of interest. This initial spark
of curiosity would prove to illuminate the path his life
would later take.
After returning from school in Canada, Skeet joined the
U.S. Air Force in 1952, where he worked as an aircraft
and engine mechanic. He eventually
became attached to
the Navy where he learned to dive. He served for four
years, part of this time during the Korean War in Guam.
He held fond memories of Guam and her people throughout
his life due to the time he spent there.
Returning to Chicago, Skeet’s growing interest in diving
became apparent when he opened his first dive shop in
Evanston, Il, called “Skeet Marine.” Evidently, during
his stint in the military, his nickname evolved from
“Scooter” to “Skeeter” to “Skeets” to “Skeet,” which
stuck with him for the rest of his life. His shop was
successful |
Skeet with his wife, Debbie |
and he enjoyed taking his students up to Racine Quarry
in Wisconsin for training where the water was cleaner
and calmer than that of Lake Michigan. During this time,
he also worked nights as a lifeguard at the Playboy Club
and would sit in as a drummer on Rush Street from time
to time to help make ends meet.
LaChance had a passion for motorcycles and even while
still living in the Chicago area chose it as his only
mode of transportation…no matter the weather…even the
harsh Chicago winters didn’t stop him from riding. After
marrying Phyllis Clark in 1959, they worked together to
develop his dive business. Three children were born to
them between 1960 and 1964, but that didn’t move Skeet
to buy a family car…no, he merely added a sidecar to his
motorcycle!
As his dive business grew, he decided to expand his dive
trips by chartering a boat out of Ft Lauderdale and
taking his divers to the reefs of
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the Bahamas. He spent time in the Exumas, Eleuthera, Abaco, and Nassau, but
eventually chose Bimini as his favorite dive spot for
his charters. He loved the people of Bimini and took a
young child from there under his wing, eventually
bringing him into his own family. As he spent more time
in the Bahamas, he founded a new company, Venture
Cruises, in 1967 and bought a boat of his own which he
called The Highland IV. He moved his family from Chicago
to Ft Lauderdale so he could spend more time with them.
Skeet was very involved in this venture and for years
ran the Highlander with only himself, a cook, and a mate
for a crew. As the boat could accommodate 21 divers,
they had their hands full. LaChance |
taught all of his children to dive and ride motorcycles
and the children spent their summers with their dad,
exploring the waters of the Bahamas.
While visiting the Bahamas in the 50’s Skeet had spent
time in Abaco and been very impressed. He bought a piece
of property at the time, but it wasn’t until 1979, after
marrying Jane Downey, that Skeet sold the Highlander and
decided to move his family there and build on that piece
of land. His dive business, Dive Abaco, became a great
success and he was invited by the Ministry of Tourism to
represent the early dive industry in the Bahamas. He was
active for years in promoting tourism in that country.
LaChance was always quite aware of the fragility of the
reef systems and was an early advocate of protecting the
reefs of Abaco from over fishing. This was certainly a
sensitive subject for the locals who had been fishermen
for generations, but Skeet eventually won the support of
many of these local fishermen.
After Skeet’s oldest son, Michael, died tragically in a
motorcycle accident in 1982, he made some changes in his
life. He had a desire to slow down and see more of the
world and by 1990 he had sold Dive Abaco and planned a
motorcycle trip to Alaska. It was on this trip that he
met with an accident that crushed his leg and required
five years of rehab and rebuilding his bike before he
finally was able to return home to Abaco.
Once back in Abaco, Skeet returned to diving on a small
scale and, with a friend, founded the Scurvy Few
Motorcycle Club and eventually married Debbie Curry. He
used his Motorcycle Club to contribute to the beloved
community that had taken him and his family in so many
years earlier. He started the Toys for Tots program in
Abaco that has grown to provide Christmas toys to every
community on the island.
Skeet had a gift with people and over the years he not
only adopted children into his own family but also
served as a mentor for so many that came to value his
wisdom and advice. To these many beloved friends he
became known affectionately as “Pop.”
In his later years, his health began to fail, forcing
Skeet and Debbie to move to the States in 2007 to be
closer to his doctors. Despite health challenges,
however, he was able to help open a chapter of the
Scurvy Few in Ft Lauderdale, and to continue to ride his
last motorcycle, “Sally” until he passed away March 31,
2010. Skeet led a full life and his favorite expressions
“swim to the bow of the boat” and “rubber side down”
still resonate in the hearts of those who knew him as a
diver, a biker, or just a good friend.
Nikonos in hand, Skeet evangelized photography to all
creatures.
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